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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Melham (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Melham. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Melham is located in Clark County.

To see how the shape of South Dakota's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Clark County: Beadle, Codington, Day, Hamlin, Kingsbury & Spink.

Below are the counties that are near Melham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Melham:

  • Clark County     (The home county of Melham)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.
    • Willow Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Success ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Success is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Success
      • Estimated population in 2014: 6,741 people
    • Pitrodie ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Pitrodie is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitrodie
      • Estimated population in 2014: 25 people
    • Carpenter
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Vienna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Merton ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Merton is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merton
      • Estimated population in 2014: 55 people
    • Naples
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Naples is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naples
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
    • Clark
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Elrod
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Elrod is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elrod
      • Estimated population in 2014: 92 people
    • Raymond
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Garden City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Beadle County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.
    • Yale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Cavour
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Huron Colony
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Huron Colony is located in Beadle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron Colony
      • Estimated population in 2014: 403 people
    • Morningside
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Morningside is located in Beadle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morningside
    • Huron
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Huron is located in Beadle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,420 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Huron <1>
  • Codington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.
    • Henry
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Henry is located in Codington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 264 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Henry <1>
    • Grover
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Grover is located in Codington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grover
      • Estimated population in 2014: 171 people
    • Kampeska
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Kampeska is located in Codington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kampeska
      • Estimated population in 2014: 331 people
  • Hamlin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.
    • Bryant
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Hazel
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake Norden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Hayti
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Alsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Alsville is located in Hamlin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alsville
    • Thomas
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Thomas is located in Hamlin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas
      • Estimated population in 2014: 290 people
    • Stone Bridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Stone Bridge is located in Hamlin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Bridge
      • Estimated population in 2014: 105 people
    • Kones Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Kones Corner is located in Hamlin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kones Corner
  • Kingsbury County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.
    • Bancroft
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bancroft is located in Kingsbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19 people
    • Osceola
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Osceola is located in Kingsbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
      • Estimated population in 2014: 90 people
    • Erwin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Manchester
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Manchester is located in Kingsbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Estimated population in 2014: 65 people
    • De Smet
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Iroquois
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Esmond
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Esmond is located in Kingsbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esmond
      • Estimated population in 2014: 60 people
    • Lake Preston
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Badger
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Hetland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Oldham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Arlington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Miner County
    • Carthage
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Spink County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.
    • LaDelle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • LaDelle is located in Spink County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaDelle
    • Doland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Melham, see our County-by-County Page for Melham.

Cemeteries Near Melham ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Melham.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Melham - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Melham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.

  • LeSueur Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Collins Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Woodland Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Spirt Lake Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Hague Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Pleasant Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Petrodie Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Faith Mennonite Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Erwin Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erwin Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Erwin Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the northwest of Erwin.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #96970 <2>
  • Woodlawn Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Woodlawn Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Bryant.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97826 <2>
  • Our Redeemer Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (81 more) ...
    • West Merton Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Clara Lutheran Church Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Vienna Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<4>

While we didn't find Melham in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Melham.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Melham, with the one closest to Melham listed first.

  • Bancroft
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Bancroft is located in Kingsbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 19 people
  • Willow Lake
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Success ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Success is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Success
    • Estimated population in 2014: 6,741 people
  • Pitrodie ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Pitrodie is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitrodie
    • Estimated population in 2014: 25 people
  • Osceola
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Osceola is located in Kingsbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
    • Estimated population in 2014: 90 people
  • Bryant
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Erwin
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Manchester
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Manchester is located in Kingsbury County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
    • Estimated population in 2014: 65 people
  • De Smet
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Carlton ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Carlton is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton
  • Vienna
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Iroquois
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Merton ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Merton is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merton
      • Estimated population in 2014: 55 people
    • Yale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Naples
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Naples is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naples
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Melham. See our List of 1890's Communities around Melham.

Newspapers Published in Melham ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Melham.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Melham, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Melham.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Melham:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Melham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Melham, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.